At the 2016-2017 Master of Arts in Teaching Recognition Ceremony, Eric En-yu Young was awarded a Mary Roosevelt Honor Scholarship in Teaching and Learning for excellence in academics, demonstrated leadership skills, and dedication to improving the lives and educational opportunities of students. Eric is pursuing his MAT with a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. Below, he shares his thoughts about his educational journey and her chosen career.

October 2016

I was born in Taiwan and moved to Southern California at an early age, where I grew up. I went to college at Washington University in St. Louis (Missouri).

I am pursuing education because I want to make a difference with what I did in life. I first got involved with this side of education in St. Louis where there was clearly a need for well-prepared educators. I did not waste time fooling myself into thinking that I was a quality teacher or tutor, but even establishing relationships with these students was helpful for them and me. I want to continue making that type of impact and learning how to do so to a greater degree.

I wanted to learn how to be a better teacher, so I decided against the broader Masters of Education programs offered elsewhere to concentrate my efforts into learning what it took to be an excellent teacher. My intent is to complete the MAT program and work as a teacher. As a teacher, I wish to embody the love and encouragement I have received in the classroom. When all has been said and done, I wish to have made a difference in someone's life by the way I lived and taught in the classroom.